The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific

The proprietor of the “hotel,” which had no more pretensions to the name than the other hostelry, proved to be a Portuguese half-caste, lacking one eye, and sporting a pair of huge brass ear-rings. His wife was a giant negress. However, they welcomed the party warmly, as they had good reason to do, not having had any guests for some time, and pigs and fowls were at once killed for supper, everything in such places being ordered “on the hoof,” so to speak. Mr. Jukes delighted his native followers by ordering an elaborate meal for them also, in celebration of the fact that on the morrow they would leave “civilization” behind them.

Jack, at Mr. Jukes’ request, set up his wireless plant, stringing the aerials from a tall tree up which one of the natives swarmed like a monkey to make the long wires fast. As he worked, he and Billy talked.

“I guess we’ll sleep with one eye open to-night,” said Jack in an undertone, for they were surrounded by a curious crowd watching the white boy “make conjure medicine.”

“Yes, those hotel people are a crafty-looking couple,” rejoined Billy, “and in a country like this it’s a good thing to regard everybody with suspicion till you find them all right.”

Muldoon sauntered up to them as they chatted and worked and had his word to put in too.

“Begorrah, that Portugee don’t look like no angel,” he said, “and his wife looks like the ould Nick himsilf.”

“Just what we were talking about, Muldoon,” said Jack. “It will be a good thing if we keep our eyes and ears open.”

At last Jack got everything ready, and Raynor started to turn the hand-crank of the generator, for of course a gasoline engine for that purpose could not be carried into the jungle. When the storage batteries were charged, Jack began to pump out the Sea Gypsy’s call. At the first crackle and whip-snap like explosion of the spark the natives scattered with yells. Even Salloo, who was looking on, and had to stand his ground to maintain his dignity before his men, looked uneasy and shifted about nervously.

It was some time before Jack got a reply, but at last he received Thurman’s answering call.

Everything it seemed was O. K. and there was no particular news from his end except that another party had started up-country right on the heels of Mr. Jukes’ expedition. It was thought they were traders, Thurman said. Jack gave his news and then flashed “Good-night.”

He told Mr. Jukes of the conversation and of the start of a second party.

“I heard nothing in Bomobori of a second expedition,” mused Mr. Jukes, on receipt of this information. “But no doubt they are traders. It seems odd, though, that they didn’t join with us if they were coming this way, as is the general custom.”

CHAPTER XXV. – A JUNGLE HOTEL

The hostelry was divided into half a dozen rooms walled with bamboo, and all on the ground floor. Rough mats of cocoanut cloth alone interposed between the sleepers and the ground, and cockroaches and singing lizards abounded. But by this time the lads had become pretty well used to the night noises of the jungle, which are far more tumultuous after dark than in the day-time, and as for the hard beds, they were too tired to mind much where they slept.

Jack had not slept long when he was awakened by someone calling to him. It was Muldoon. The Irishman was plainly agitated by some excitement as he stood in the grass-curtained door-way.

“Whist!” he exclaimed, holding a finger to his lips, “is thot you Misther Riddy?”

“Yes, what’s the trouble, Muldoon?”

“Shure o’ive made a discovery, sor.”

“What?”

“Thot other party. Ther ones you was tiligraphing about.”

“Well, what about them?”

“They’re here, begob.”

“Where, in the hotel?”

“No, in the woods back of the house.”

“Camping there?”

“No, bejabbers. There’s something looks queer to me about the whole thing, that’s why I called yez. They’ve sent for the Dago that runs this shabeen, sor.”

“Maybe they want to get accommodations?”

“Thin why wouldn’t they stip up like min and ask for ’em?” was Muldoon’s unanswerable retort.

Just then Mr. Jukes, rubbing his eyes sleepily, appeared in the door-way. Behind him stood the giant negress. The millionaire had evidently dressed hastily.

“I’ve got news, Ready,” he exclaimed in a rather excited voice. “This woman has just told me that her husband wants to see me outside. I gathered it’s on some matter connected with my brother.”

“Yassir,” grinned the hideous negress, showing a double row of sharply filed teeth, “dat’s it, sah. It’s 'bout yo’ brudder.”

Raynor had awakened by this time and was sitting up on his mat listening sleepily. He eyed the woman narrowly as she spoke and an uneasy conviction entered his mind that all was not well.

“You’d better be cautious, sir,” warned Jack, who also felt an undeniable feeling of suspicion, “something may be wrong.”

“What can be wrong,” demanded Mr. Jukes, rather impatiently. “I’m going outside to see. If it’s about my brother it’s my duty to do so at once.”

“Then if you’re going I’ll go with you,” said Jack, hastily throwing on the garments he had divested himself of, and strapping on his revolver.

“And begorrah o’i second the motion,” declared Muldoon.

“Wait a moment for me,” begged Billy.

“No, stay here,” said Jack. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll fire three shots.”

A minute later, followed by the native woman, the three left the place. As they reached the door she took the lead and conducted them through a bamboo grove to a thick growth of trees under which her husband and a big man with black beard were conversing.

“You wish to see me?” asked Mr. Jukes, addressing the bearded one.

“Yes; zees gentleman say zat 'e ave good news for you,” said the landlord, spreading his hands.

“Begorrah, oi don’t see no gintilmin here excipt oursilves,” muttered Muldoon.

“Muldoon, be quiet,” ordered Mr. Jukes, then turning to the black-bearded man he went on with, “Well, sir, what is it you wish?”

“You are Mr. Jukes?” asked the other, in a deep, gruff voice.

“I am, what of it?”

“I want to see you. I have news for you.”

“But – but I don’t know you. Why didn’t you come to the hotel if you had anything to say to me?” asked the millionaire in a puzzled way.

“I wanted to talk to you in private about your brother,” was the reply.

“My brother! Why, we are searching for him now. That is the reason of our presence in the jungle. Do you know anything about him?”

“I do. It was he who sent me here.”